Inspiration on tap for boys

The 25-year-old settled in Perth after living out of a suitcase for seven years touring the world as a lead cast member with the Tap Dogs.

Papa’s next project is to break the mould and stereotype of male dancers by starting an all-boys tap class called Boys Noise ” ‘boys that tap’ ” at the Australian Performing Arts Network academy in Malaga.

Papa said he wanted to give the male tap dancer stereotype a more Australian Rules footballer flavour.

Having gone to an all boys school, he said he had a few dramas being a dancer when he was younger but said it was not too bad because he played rugby too.

‘Previous to the pop culture explosion of dance on television in recent years, most people, especially other males, tended to have had a very negative and skewed vision towards males in any type of dance,’ Papa said.

‘As time goes on more and more people are coming to the realisation that dance is just, if not more, physically taxing and demanding on the body than any sport which requires a ball.’

Having been taught by some of tap dancing’s great like Dein Perry, Papa said he wanted to pass on what he’d learnt and experienced in an all-male company to the boys of Perth.

‘I mean no disrespect with this but the slicked buns, exams, strict uniform policies and dance mums is not what it’s about with Boys Noise,’ he said.

‘It’s about a group of boys of all ages wanting to get together on a Thursday afternoon to learn tight rhythms, improve their fitness, have a bit of a laugh, become mates and wicked tap dancers, hence ‘boys that tap’.’

Boys Noise– Every Thursday from February 6 ,4pm to 6pm.– 8/9 Stanford Way, Malaga.– Suitable for boys aged six yearsand over.– Call 0488 784 785 or email boysnoiseperth@gmail.com